powder coating at home

smitymike11

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
16
Location
Twin Lake, Michigan
I am thinking about buying a powder coating system for home use and wanted to see what other here have used and what they think about them. I know other then the gun I need a oven, trying to find a cheep one, but what else do you suggest I buy? I allready have a cheep sand blaster, just used it on my Neo Geo cp. The reason I am asking is because I have a few parts that will need to be sand blasted and painted and for the price quote for my CP I thought I could just buy the stuff and do it and not be out much more plus when I need other parts done I could do it myself. I looked online at harbor freight and there gun was $69.99 and had a few good reviews. I also checked out eastwood and there gun is $100 but has a lot of people that have had problems with it. If anyone has used one of these how did you like it? This is something I think I would use for arcade parts and race car parts, if I end up using it a lot I would look into something better but just want tp try this out and see if it is worth doing my self.
 
smitymike11,

Can't remember exactly where, but there is a guy with a place in Twin Lake, South side of M-120, that sells used appliances. Each usually ~$50. Have bought fridges, washers, and dryers, from him and had great luck. Big red pole barns that he sells stuff out of. Great place to get a cheap oven if you want to try this. Let us know how it works out. Good luck!
 
I am thinking about buying a powder coating system for home use and wanted to see what other here have used and what they think about them. I know other then the gun I need a oven, trying to find a cheep one, but what else do you suggest I buy? I allready have a cheep sand blaster, just used it on my Neo Geo cp. The reason I am asking is because I have a few parts that will need to be sand blasted and painted and for the price quote for my CP I thought I could just buy the stuff and do it and not be out much more plus when I need other parts done I could do it myself. I looked online at harbor freight and there gun was $69.99 and had a few good reviews. I also checked out eastwood and there gun is $100 but has a lot of people that have had problems with it. If anyone has used one of these how did you like it? This is something I think I would use for arcade parts and race car parts, if I end up using it a lot I would look into something better but just want tp try this out and see if it is worth doing my self.

I am new to powder coating and I admit I know almost nothing about it but I did some research, watched youtube videos and figured I would give it a try. So far I have only powder coated a couple small metal parts and some screw heads. The first try wasn't good, I put the powder on to thick, got it to hot and burned the paint. The second and third try went much better. Like anything new theirs a learning curve when you Do it yourself. I bought the harbor freight powder coat gun and it works great once you get the air flow set right.
The main problem I found is oven size and how to transfer the powder coated part and mount or hang it in the oven with out disturbing the powder on the surface of the part. The powder is just clinging to the metal by a static charge and if it touches anything wile putting it in the oven then you have to brush it off and start over.
You also need an oven you can dedicate to powder coating, you cant use an oven you use for food. I was going to use an old toaster oven but it was too small. I wanted to coat some small parts so I built a small oven from a hot plate and 8" duct pipe modeled after one I found that someone built on youtube. I added a PID temp control and it works great. It's only big enough to do small parts like marquee rails small metal parts and bolts. I have plains to build a larger one out of a stand up file cabinet that should be big enough for control panels and coin doors.Here's a couple pictures of my oven and a link to the youtube video of the guys oven build that I used as a guide to build mine. I plain to put together a video later but right now the only video I have is how not to powder coat. I didn't take any video the day I got it all figured out so something to look forward to I guess.
This video is not mine but the one I found on You tube that I used to model my oven after. Mine is slightly different but works the same.

Here's some pictures of mine

attachment.php

attachment.php

attachment.php

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • powderoventemp 001.jpg
    powderoventemp 001.jpg
    93.7 KB · Views: 532
  • powdercoteded.jpg
    powdercoteded.jpg
    47.2 KB · Views: 825
  • powdercoteded 005.jpg
    powdercoteded 005.jpg
    58.6 KB · Views: 562
  • powdercoteded 010_0001.jpg
    powdercoteded 010_0001.jpg
    58 KB · Views: 832
The guy next to the fruit stand? I called him and he tols me the price starts at $150-$175.

smitymike11,

Can't remember exactly where, but there is a guy with a place in Twin Lake, South side of M-120, that sells used appliances. Each usually ~$50. Have bought fridges, washers, and dryers, from him and had great luck. Big red pole barns that he sells stuff out of. Great place to get a cheap oven if you want to try this. Let us know how it works out. Good luck!
 
Thank you for that info. I think I will try the gun from harbor frieght, even though you can get the crafstman ones like the guy in the video used and not need a aircompressor for really cheep on ebay. Right now I am trying to do the control pannel from my Neo Geo so I think a oven will be needed but the homemade oven in the video will work for smaller stuff.

I am new to powder coating and I admit I know almost nothing about it but I did some research, watched youtube videos and figured I would give it a try. So far I have only powder coated a couple small metal parts and some screw heads. The first try wasn't good, I put the powder on to thick, got it to hot and burned the paint. The second and third try went much better. Like anything new theirs a learning curve when you Do it yourself. I bought the harbor freight powder coat gun and it works great once you get the air flow set right.
The main problem I found is oven size and how to transfer the powder coated part and mount or hang it in the oven with out disturbing the powder on the surface of the part. The powder is just clinging to the metal by a static charge and if it touches anything wile putting it in the oven then you have to brush it off and start over.
You also need an oven you can dedicate to powder coating, you cant use an oven you use for food. I was going to use an old toaster oven but it was too small. I wanted to coat some small parts so I built a small oven from a hot plate and 8" duct pipe modeled after one I found that someone built on youtube. I added a PID temp control and it works great. It's only big enough to do small parts like marquee rails small metal parts and bolts. I have plains to build a larger one out of a stand up file cabinet that should be big enough for control panels and coin doors.Here's a couple pictures of my oven and a link to the youtube video of the guys oven build that I used as a guide to build mine. I plain to put together a video later but right now the only video I have is how not to powder coat. I didn't take any video the day I got it all figured out so something to look forward to I guess.
This video is not mine but the one I found on You tube that I used to model my oven after. Mine is slightly different but works the same.

Here's some pictures of mine

attachment.php

attachment.php

attachment.php

attachment.php
 
After looking at the oven I just bought I do not think my CP from the Neo Geo will fit, at least I can use it for all the other stuff I need to do.
 
Well I picked one of these up the other day from Harbor Freight. I'm wondering what is the best satin black powder to use for typical Marquee brackets, Star Wars yoke, coin doors - typical black powdercoat. I know it's not flat - I know it's not glossy. But I just have to look around now to find a good affordable source for this powder.
IMG_1358.jpg
 
i used to own that same gun, it works well. ONLY buy your powders from http://www.eastwood.com/ i have tried several brands, these produced the best results time after time.

Item #100 10108 semi gloss black is probably a match to arcade stuff. Maybe Takeman will find the name of the powder they are using on the atari stuff, it's a dead on match.
 
Ok, I sent him a message. Thanks for that link DP. I would want to buy maybe a small jar at first and 8 oz sounds perfect. If it works out well I'd probably go with a bulk jug or package of it.
I don't have the room in my garage as of right now for an oven and was considering just heating my oven to 3-350 and run a part or two through it to see the results.
I mean what could the harm be? Smell? Would just like to test it out before actually trying to make the room and install a junk kitchen stove in my garage.
 
That impromptu oven the guys makes looks like a Darwin award in the making by using it inside, I don't think standard fiberglass insulation is meant to take that kind of heat. But that being said I might make one and just wheel it outside when I use it, and if it goes 'poof', well so be it.
 
I only use mine outside. In the garage is Ok with doors open but an exhaust fan would be better and always wear a filter mask wile spraying the powder. The old guy in the video was not and that's bad. Most people built a spray booth which is a small enclosure with a filter and is connected to a shop vac to keep the powder dust contained so it doesn't go everywhere. Like anything their are many do's and don't's. The standard fiberglass insulation can take the heat ,350 to 400 degrees just make sure the paper side is on the out side. Here's a good site if you want to build your own oven. They have a powder coating section and an oven building section. A lot of good info and ideas.
http://forum.caswellplating.com/
Here's some info I found on You Tube.

Powder Coating Booth
 
i used to own that same gun, it works well. ONLY buy your powders from http://www.eastwood.com/ i have tried several brands, these produced the best results time after time.

Item #100 10108 semi gloss black is probably a match to arcade stuff. Maybe Takeman will find the name of the powder they are using on the atari stuff, it's a dead on match.

That's the same deal with the Harbor Freight nailers. They work well, but you really should buy the name brand nails at Lowes - senco, etc..
 
I have powder coated at home for years. I use powders from Columbia coatings , a Harbor freight gun, and an old oven that I have in my shop. If you already have a compressor, and 220V for the oven, you are half way there.
Its not hard and the results are great.

Most of the time will be spent removing old finishes from the parts. Things like wire wheels on bench grinders, and blast cabinets will be pretty useful here.
 
Heres how I got started powdercoating motorcycle and car parts about 5 years ago. I bought my first powdercoat gun (and still current gun) from Eastwood.com. For small parts you can use a toaster oven but obviously people are going to want to do coin doors and panels and such so a bigger oven is needed...Craigslist is your best friend! You can easily score a free oven on there. it MUST be electric. You CANNOT use gas and ABSOLUTELY DO NOT use your house oven that you still cook food in! You never want to use an oven that you powdercoated in to prepare food in again unless you want to risk becoming very sick...let alone itll prob smell too lol.
 
Ok, so I guess I won't be able to test with my kitchen oven. I'll have to start out with some kind of toaster oven that I can fit a coin door or frame into :p
Sam those are some nice videos. Very informative.
 
Back
Top Bottom